Posts Tagged ‘St Joseph hospice’

Catholic burial vault in Chennai: As it is Residential area, Body exhumed and buried again in burial grounds!

One more Christian burial right in Residential area in Chennai: Six months after unearthing an unauthorised home for disposal of dead bodies in Salavakkam, Kancheepuram district, a similar case has come to light near Pallavaram, on Wednesday. 26-12-2018. Remember the story of a mysterious hospice near Chengalpet that hit the headlines earlier this year for burying the bodies of its inmates inside the campus? Same is the case here at a church in Pozhichalur, but with a Slight twist. What changed a silent narrow lane into a crowded Ranganathan Street-like, is this St Alphonsa Syro Malabar Catholic Church and the mystery of a ‘body’ buried inside it[1]. The news was first taken to the public last night by a resident here, who belonged to a Hindu group and as the information started spreading across this tightly-packed residential area, it shocked them to the core[2]. Within minutes, it eventually hit the social media and a huge bunch of people marched here overnight. Soon, the police stepped in, raided the place and retrieved a body that was buried inside a chamber in a concrete cemetery in the church. Then they buried it at the Pozhichalur burial ground, after completing legal formalities.

Why the Tamil and Malayali Christians have separate burials and practices?: Still, the social media posts claimed that there were more than seven corpses buried inside the campus. Adding to this, it was also said that more chambers were found inside a room in the church. Following this, News Today visited the spot this morning to find out what has really happened. “This is a Malayalam Roman Catholic church. We are also Roman Catholics, but Tamils. We all used to go for a common church before two years. But, some of their (Keralites) customs differ from us. So they bought a land here and built this church. One of their main practices is, burying the dead bodies in a cemetery that is built inside the church premises. This custom is followed widely in Kerala. The Catholics want more space in India to be filled with tombs, as they want to aggressively show off their presence by all means. In Kerala, if it were prue theology, here, linguistic fanaticism to whip up passion dividing people.

The concrete burial vaults – licensed or not: Even in Tamilnadu, they do this in areas like Thoothukudi,” said Kannan, a resident here. He further said, “Following the same, this church members too built the chambers to bury the body of its members. They also claimed that they have applied for license, to make the process legal. The Christians always tell these tales. Even the bone-Thomas of Salavakkam also told but, every thing has been forgotten now, But, before they got the approval, one of the members, a 75-year-old man Lonappan, originally from Kerala, who resided at Pammal with his family, was dead. So, expecting that they would get the license soon, they buried this man here, a week back. The body was kept inside a box and a cement memorial cemetery was built around it.”

Body exhumed and burried again in burial grounds: “However, the police demolished it completely and recovered the body. As it was just a week back, the body was not in a bad condition,” he stated. Other residents showed their strong opposition towards this activity. “This is a pure residential area and we don’t want these kinds of activities here. The government should never grant the license. Such activities are strictly condemned,” said an angry resident, G Mohanasundaram. Speaking to News Today, Shankar Nagar Inspector of Police (Crime) Bhooma Devi, said[3], “we visited the spot after the complaint and recovered a body. Revenue officials are set to conduct an inspection at the church today. Investigations are on.” This incident has brought in much chaos overnight and many residents who spoke to this reporter stressed that they would not allow a cemetery setup in their neighbourhood[4]. Police have launched a hunt of Jose, chairman, and Geo, reverend of the Church. Sankar Nagar police registered case and have launched a hunt for the chairman and father of the church[5].The locals filed a representation with Kancheepuram collector P. Ponniah. On his direction, a team led by tahsildar and Tambaram RDO, rushed to the church on Wednesday evening. Sankar Nagar police provided security cover to the team[6]. But, even if that Jose is tracked and taken for questioning, will the Police could proceed further?

Cremation or Burial – the Western discussion: The Indian Christian should listen to Pope and accept cremation. When the Pope lifted the ban on cremation in 1963, why they continue in India even in 2018, even after 56 years? The Christian west has already discussed and decided the issue and many Christians have started for cremation. Cremation is usually considered cheap and cost-effective, between $700 and $2000. = Rs. Rs. 4900/- and 15,000/- Burial cost is $ 10,000 = Rs.7,00,000/- in foreign countries with other service fees, transportations, grave plot caskets and headstones[7]. Not to mention, staff usage, hearse, preparation of the body and embalming.. It is environmental friendly and saves space. Cremations take no space and in contrary, burials demand new land after each generation passes away. But, cremation does not allow another organism to feed on the body or produce and thus the circle of life is being broken, it means it is environmental unfriendly[8]. So if the Indian Christians are still afford to continue burial, definitely, something has been there, then, the bone-Thomas too have suspicious activities, as has been exposed by the media, but, now suppressed.

How cremation accepted in Christianity?[9]: The practice of cremation dates back to ancient times, but after Christianity was introduced, cremation in Christian countries was stopped because it was seen as a sacrilegious act towards Christians and God. However, in 1963 Pope Paul VI lifted the ban on cremation[10]. In England and Wales, burial took place principally in churchyards until the late 19th century when advocates of cremation founded the Cremation Society of Great Britain with the aim of constructing the first crematorium. This first Act of Parliament concerning cremation in the UK was the Cardiff Corporation Act of 1894, a piece of legalisation which came about following the eccentric activities of Dr William Price. He got a son named Jesus Christ Price, however, the boy developed convulsions and died. William cremated him on the top of hill. As it was illegal, he was arrested and taken to court. Eventually, Price was indicted on three counts:

That on January 13 he had unlawfully, wilfully and indecently attempted to cremate the body of his deceased infant male child, and that he had caused indignities to the remains of the body;

that by such conduct he had caused a public nuisance and

that he had attempted to dispose of the child’s body when the coroner intended to hold an inquest upon it, without first giving notice to the coroner.

Price’s trial began on February 16, 1884, at the Glamorgan Assizes at Cardiff, and he argued his case. The trial continued, in his final speech, Price said: “When I die, if I cannot get someone to burn my body, then by God I shall somehow contrive to come back and burn myself!” The jury reached a not guilty verdict and Price was set free. On January 23, 1893, after a week’s illness, Price passed away. A week later, a group of people formed the congregation of the first officially authorised and sanctioned public cremation ceremony in Britain.

What is the truth?: Salavakkam concrete vault burials raised many questions and exposed the stereo type modus operandi. Export of skeletons, bones, bone powder and many such allegations were made. However, none knows what the police or the government has taken action against the church authorities. The account of bodies received, disposed etc., are not produced to the public, in spite of the demands made by the villagers. How one more church has been found with the same modus operandi. So what has been actually going on has to be probed. Is there any scam or illegal activity going on has to be clarified.

St Joseph Hospice: a place for dying or dead people, what has been happening to dead bodies? Why no action taken from 2012 to 2018? (3)

What the authorities were doing from 2012 to 2018?: Incidentally and ironically, the same type of news, accusation about the burial of dead bodies and connected details came out, only because of the public finding out “something” suspicious, wrong and violations were taking place. Therefore, the concerned and connected officers:

Social welfare department, Govt. of Tamilnadu and its officials visited in 2012.

District Social Welfare Officer

The VAO of the area.

The DSP / Superintendent of Police, Kancheepuram Police District

– must have taken decision and action to check the violations of the Hospice, but, nothing appeared to have been done. After six years, the same issues have come out with horrified details added. Therefore, a reasonable doubt arises as to whether these authorities and the Christian institutions have colluded with each other to carry out such horrible, terrific and dreadful activities in dealing with old people dying and dead. The Indian Express pointed out that, “They were surprised to find that the hospice did not just take care of the destitute elderly, but also had a multi-tier vault for storing corpses[1]. The vaults appeared like bank lockers. After a certain number of years, the vaults were reused. While it is unclear if the hospice management obtained permission to build the vault, what raised concern among officials was the lack of monitoring on whose bodies were deposited there and how the remains were processed. The home’s licence expired a few months ago and its application for renewal has not yet been approved[2]. “We raised concern about the absence of supervision on how the home handles bodies. We don’t even know if they obtain death certificates before depositing the corpses in the vault,” said a health department official. While rules mandate that the remains in the vault be cleared only once in 13 years, local residents claimed the management had been clearing them every few months.”

dead body brought, the vault broken and opened.

Old dead body was pushed down with stick

New dead body put inside and pushed in the same vault, closed with the same old cement slab.

Closed, plastered and flower placed symbolically.

Human skeletons, bones, bone powder export from Chennai, Tamilnadu: The export of human skeletons, bones, bone powder etc., was exported till 1985 legally from Indian ports, including Madras[3]. The export data from the Madras port proves the fact. For medical research and teaching, they are regularly required not only in foreign countries, but also in India, as more and more medical colleges are coming up. In 1985, however, the Indian government outlawed the export of human remains, and the global supply of skeletons collapsed[4]. But, years after India’s export ban, there are signs that the trade never ended, as black-market vendors in West Bengal [and also other parts of India] continue to supply human skeletons and skulls using the time-honored method[5]: Rob graves, separate soft flesh from unyielding calcium, and deliver the bones to distributors — who assemble them and ship them to dealers around the globe. The processing plant is little more than a bamboo hut with a tarpaulin roof — one of a dozen bone factories Pal says he knows about. In April, the authorities confiscated piles of bones, buckets of hydrochloric acid, and two barrels full of a caustic chemical they have yet to identify. All that’s left is a dirt floor with a large concrete vat sunk into the ground. First the corpses were wrapped in netting and anchored in the river, where bacteria and fish reduced a body to a loose pile of bones and mush in a week or so. The crew then scrubbed the bones and boiled them in a cauldron of water and caustic soda to dissolve any remaining flesh. That left the calcium surfaces with a yellow tint. To bring them up to medical white, bones were then left in sunlight for a week before being soaked in hydrochloric acid[6]. Therefore, it can easily be found out as to how thousands of skeletons were disposed off from the vaults of St Joseph Hospices, as they were cleared outside from the pits. Definitely, they must have been reached their destination for the purposes.

Old dead body in the vault

If Nepal is the hub in the north, where it is in the South?: As many as 2,000 skeletons and skulls are taken out every month through Nepal. While a sizable portion of these find their way to medical colleges and research labs in the West, the remaining — particularly the skulls — are supplied to Asian countries for use in occult rites.”The Asansol-Niyamatpur- Salanpur-Durgapur belt is notorious for this trade. Graveyards are regularly raided by professional grave diggers. The Vaishnavite burial grounds in the region are favourite targets. A few years ago, six bodies went missing from the Udaigarh Vaishnav graveyard, leading to a furore,” said a businessman who was a licenced exporter of skeletons till 1985, when the Centre imposed a ban. Soon after the ban, exporters and traders resorted to smuggling. Their main source of skeletons were unprotected burial grounds in the districts and villages. Before 1985, bodies were purchased from relatives of the dead and converted into skeletons before being exported. “There is a huge demand for skeletons and human bones in medical colleges and research labs in the West. Artificial bones are not very popular among teachers or students . Till 1985, India supplied 80% of bones. There was a vacuum after the ban. This has been put to use by smugglers,” a source revealed[7]. Smugglers operate from Kathmandu, Yangon, Patna, Kolkata and Varanasi. The ‘goods’ are stored in Burdwan , Asansol, Dhanbad, Rajgir , Katihar, Gaya, Bodh Gaya and Purnea. Kathmandu is the centre for the trade[8]. Therefore, from South India also, equally, they must have been regularly exported, but the details are kept secret and unknown. As pointed out, the details could be taken out, as the trade has been going on.

The old dead body was pushed down with a stick

The St Joseph Hospices working according to Christian theology or law of this land or otherwise?: How the pastor “father” Thomas could have been so adopted, accustomed and habituated to such dreadful acts of dealing with dead bodies is shocking, frightening and terrifying. How his mind and feelings have been so hardened to be numbed and thus, made such acts routine. The persons involved in such acts also appear without any perturb or worry, as if they are attending to some normal routine activities. The scary, creepy and bloodcurdling surroundings of the vaults, the pits and others make one to shudder, as if they see some Hollywood horror-terror movies of dead bodies and zombies. Therefore, the psyches of these people have to be analyzed, as it appears abnormal, aberrant and crooked. According to Christian belief, the dead bodies have to be preserved, so that they would be raised on the last day of judgment or the second coming of Jesus Christ. But the Christian priests involved have not cared about such fundamental doctrine. The holy doctrines of crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, etc, have been intimately associated and imbibed with any true Christian and believer. Thus, these activities could not have taken place against the christian theology, dogma and doctrines followed. As otherwise, they have to explain explicitly, what principles they followed without any care for human-beings and the law of this land by committing such heinous crimes, but scotfree for obvious reasons.

Why no action taken and the media and others have been so insensitive about the issues involved?: Having seen now both sides, from the affected, rescued and reported old people, the public and residents of the area, the officers of various visited groups, the media and the Christian representatives, can come to conclusion without any bias. The fact is that thousands have been dying there under suspicious circumstances. They are not keeping any account of the persons admitted, dead, cremated or buried and the left out disposed. The licence to run the old-age home, keeping such vaults, usage of them repeatedly without cleaning, and other details are lacking and not done also to satisfy the statutory and mandatory requirements and conditions. Having violated such provisions, no action has been taken for the last six years and now also. It is also intriguing to note that the sociologists, psychologists, social activists and others have been so insensitive, callous and thick-skinned with numbness, in spite of the news coming out. Their “secularism” could not be working here, just because, the Christians are involved. As human-beings are dealt with without sympathy violating law of this land, immediate action should be taken against them.

St Joseph Hospice: a place for dying or dead people, what has been happening to dead bodies? Skeleton export, organ trade racket going on or not (2)

Woman sent by dead body coach forcefully: The next day, she was then bundled into the ambulance/truck along with a dead body and another man. Narrating the sequence of events, the woman said, “The doctors told them, the old lady has to be released tomorrow. And they left. Then in the morning when I asked, they angrily said to get into the vehicle. I asked them to send me by bus instead, but they didn’t agree. They made me sit in the vehicle. Then they sent the old man inside. And then they brought a dead body and put it inside.” When asked what else was inside the vehicle, the old lady said, “Only vegetables. There were bags of vegetables stacked. They put the body in after I got into the vehicle.” “I pleaded with them to let me go in Tambaram. I asked them with folded hands. But the boy (driver) didn’t stop,” she further said. On hearing the elderly woman’s scream for help, a motorist passing by intervened and forced the ambulance to stop. “I was returning from work. The grandma showed her hand through the window. She said please save me, please save me. I first drove past, but then I felt bad and decided to come back and investigate. I stopped the vehicle and asked the driver what was happening. He said he was taking them to a home as they had run away from their families,” the young man told Thanthi TV. The man then told the driver that he had no right to take them anywhere against their will. When the driver claimed he was simply following procedures, the man called the police. “Then the driver called someone and gave me the phone. That person told me, “Why are you interfering with this? We have called the station, and someone will come from there.” The person on the phone told me to leave the spot,” the man said.

Allegations of organ trade racket: Following the incident, it has now emerged that there have been complaints in the past against St Joseph’s Hospice, with some residents of Palaswaram raising questions over its functioning, alleging that the organisation is involved in an illegal organ trade racket. Speaking to TNM [The News Minute], one police official close to the investigation confirmed that a case of suspicious death has been registered regarding the dead body in the ambulance, and that investigations were underway. The body has been identified as that of Vijaykumar, a 70-year-old man, who had reportedly died at St Joseph’s Hospice in Tambaram and was being transported to its Palaswaram branch. The investigators, however, refused to comment on allegations of organ trafficking. Initial investigations reveal that the hospice has branches in several parts of Tamil Nadu, including Nagercoil and Madurai. On Wednesday, the Revenue District Officer in Kancheepuram, officials from the health department and the police visited St Joseph’s Hospice as part of their probe. An official belonging to the Revenue Department told TNM that they are compiling a report based on inputs from the Health Department and the police. They hope to produce this report in two days. However, the RDO admits that there have been oral complaints about the hospice to the previous administration, however no action was taken.

How free vegetables, human-beings and dead body were transported: When TNM visited the Paleswaram branch on Thursday 22-02-2018, Alex Pandian of St Joseph’s Hospice recounted his version of events. “We usually pick up elderly men and women in our trucks when we get a call from a hospital or anyone who looks us up online. That day, a friend of the home was getting married so we were transporting vegetables and groceries to the wedding in our ambulance. We received a call to pick up some elderly people nearby, so we took them in the truck as we were nearby anyway. The elderly woman is mentally ill so she was screaming,” he claimed. When asked about the why the dead body was also being transported with the vegetables and the two senior citizens, Alex claimed that the old man had died just as he was being taken into the truck, and therefore they decided to cover his body in a sari and bring him to the hospice. However, Jansi, an employee of the St Joseph’s Hospice in Dindigul said that the senior citizens and the corpse were being taken in the truck along with the vegetables, as the truck had gone to collect the vegetables from the Tambaram market when they had received the call from the hospice’s Tambaram branch. “We get vegetables for free from the Tambaram market, so the vehicle had gone to Tambaram to get the vegetables. That’s when they got the call about the three people, and by the time the driver reached, one of them had died. They wrapped the body in a sari, since we get a lot of saris as donation. And we were transporting them, when the old lady started shouting for help. She didn’t want to go to the home,” Jansi said.

Operating on expired license: But it’s not just the events of Tuesday that St Joseph’s Hospice is being investigated for. According to Thanthi TV reports, residents had alleged that the “recyclable burial pits” used by the hospice were in fact a way to export the bones of the dead and make money out of it. This is a serious charge and investigation has to be carried out. The ‘cemetery’ is a cemented structure with over 30 vaults to bury those who have died at the hospice. Alex said, “Elderly people die here frequently, sometimes even one in a day. In the winters, the numbers are higher. We don’t know their religion or caste so we bury them in this manner.” But, the videos posted in internet, clearly exposes, that they were offered Christian prayers and buried, as otherwise, they could have been cremated also[1]. That the same vault is used again and again without cleaning is proved by their own videos[2]. That air and water cannot go inside the vault and come out and thus, the method is scientific and such claims are made by Thomas[3]. But, all have been exaggerated, unscientific and Thomas or the visiting curious visitors never asked how the left out skeletons were disposed off. Evidently, the locals could have seen the lorries or vans carrying such stuff and that is why they have complained about human trafficking, sale of human organs, bones etc. Indian Express has also pointed out the expiry of licence etc., but, how they authorities have been keeping quite is not known.

Burials of bodies in vaults comes to light – The Hindu reported in February 2012[4]: Unauthorized disposal of bodies at a home for destitute persons functioning at Paleswaram in Salavakkam police station limits in Kancheepuram district came to light after some local people brought it to the notice of media[5]. The institution, St. Joseph’s Hospice for Dying Destitute, founded by Father R. V. Thomas, became operational from March 2011 after getting proper permission from the Department of Social Welfare. Destitute persons from different parts of State were brought to the home, set up on a 16-acre land and nurtured. Fr. Thomas was said to have played a key role in setting up a similar institution at Mettur Gate in Dindigul district in 2006 and to have taken more than 5000 persons left unattended by their relatives, into the Hospice fold. While around 4200 persons out of those brought to the Dindigul Hospice were given treatment for ailment, mental and physical, and sent back to their places of choice during the last five years, another 1179 people have died in peace at the Hospice, according to a pamphlet issued by the Hospice. At present, 86 persons were housed at the Paaleswaram Hospice and nearly 52 who died during the last 11 months were “buried” in reusable vaults, constructed on the Hospice campus[6].

“The reusable vault method” used to dispose off dead bodies: Meanwhile, a section of local residents annoyed by the method adopted for disposal of bodies on the Hospice campus brought it to the notice of the media as Fr. Thomas and others claimed that they had obtained permission from the authorities to dispose of bodies through reusable vault method, where the corpse wrapped in a cloth was allowed to decay on its own. Subsequently, on Thursday afternoon 02-02-2012, a team of officials from the Social Welfare Department, headed by District Social Welfare Officer, Sarguna and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Madurantakam, Sridevi went to the Hospice to ascertain the facts. Fr. Thomas claimed that such a method was being adopted widely in Kerala and in some parts of Dindigul district and he had obtained permission from the Social Welfare Department to run an orphanage at Paaleswaram. When Ms.Sarguna pointed out that the rules and regulations, laid down by the department while granting the permission, clearly say that any death should be immediately intimated to the department and a decent burial of the dead should be ensured, Fr.Thomas claimed that he used to inform the Village Administrative Officer whenever a death occurred in the Hospice. He also said he had explained the reusable vault method to the Superintendent of Police, Kancheepuram Police District in person while obtaining a no-objection certificate from the SP. However, he was not able to produce proper documents bearing the seal and signature of the VAO on the list of dead persons or the set of documents, except a covering letter addressed to the SP[7].

St Joseph Hospice: a place for dying or dead people, what has been happening to dead bodies? (1)

Shocking news coming out about St Joseph Hospices: Nowadays, about pedophile crimes, sexploitation and such other news have been read, heard and discussed at, but, now, this is about death, dead bodies, skeletons and bones. About over 70 kilometres from Chennai city, the St Joseph’s Hospice sprawls across the arid village of Palaswaram in Kancheepuram district. The vast campus serves as a destitute home for men and women. It was started with the claim of taking care of dying men and women found at different places, brought there and keep them till they die. After death, their bodies are kept in concrete vaults. Shocking allegation against an NGO named St. Joseph’s Hospice have emerged, which include beating sick inmates and using their dead bodies for harvesting bones[1]. Some reports have also alleged that it is also involved in harvesting organs of its inmates and selling it to other countries[2]. The hospice, which calls itself a ‘Home for Dying Destitute’, was founded by Father R. V. Thomas in 2011. The same Christian pastor is also running similar hospices in Dindigul and Paleshwaram. A hospice is a Christian equivalent of an Ashram where sick and destitute are supposed to be taken care of.

What they – Joseph Hospice- claim[3]: Their website claims as follows: “Our first Hospice situated at Mettur Gate[4], near Kodai Road, in Dindigul District was started in 2006 and has now 325 dying destitute of which 140 are women and 185 men. Every week there is an average of 7 persons who die here in human dignity. Till Jan 2016, more than 1900 people have so far died here in peace. At the same time, last 12 years , more than 8000 people have been healed and restored and have gone back to their places of choice. We started a second Hospice not far from Chingleput[5], only 90 minutes drive away from Chennai airport in 2011. 16 acres of land was donated by a kind soul where 500 patients from the cities of Chennai, Pondichery, Vellore etc., can be accommodated. Situated 16kms.close to Vedanthangal, a world famous bird sanctuary, the second Hospice is a sanctuary for ill and homeless destitute who otherwise die on the pavements and gutters, uncared, unloved and unmourned. A third, small Hospice at Tambaram[6] near the Chennai airport was started as a collection centre in December 2014 where only about 30 patients are accommodated. When the traffic is a bit calm,during the wee hours of the morning, we bring them to our bigger second Hospice in batches of 6 to 8 patients. We are looking forward to starting similar holding Hospices in the North Chennai area and the city of Pondichery. Our good news is that the Salesians of Chennai Province has come forward to give us a 3.75 acre plot of land with a building near Vellore[7]. We hope to start a 4th Hospice there in April 2016 for about 150 dying destitute. These Hospices and a rehab centre for the blind and handicapped are run by the Trust called,”Light for the Blind India”. The CEO is Fr.Thomas. We have started a fourth hospice at Vellore with the help of the Salesians of Chennai Province who gave us a 3.75 acre plot of land with a building.”

Help-cries from ambulance and two old people found with dead body: Tension prevailed near Uthiramerur in Kancheepuram district on 20-02-2018 Tuesday after public intercepted the tempo van of an NGO ferrying two elderly persons and the dead body of a destitute and claimed that the NGO was up to illegal activities[8]. However, police and revenue authorities who reached the scene found that the van belonged to a home, registered with the government, who take care of elderly people and bury the dead bodies of the elderly destitute who die at Government hospitals[9]. The government action came a day after [21-02-2018] a van belonging to elder care centre was found carrying a dead body with bags of vegetables along with two aged persons, in Salaivakkam in Kancheepuram on Tuesday 20-02-2018, afternoon[10]. Sources said the officials advised the management of the hospices to adopt age-old burial process for disposing the bodies than concrete vaults[11]. But the elder care centre managers were not ready to accept it because they felt vault was more cost-effective. The officials began to question Father Thomas, founder of the St. Joseph hospice, and the other officials of the old age home which went on for five hours[12]. The managers of the home admitted that it was mistake to transport the body with the vegetables and two aged people. “We have done nothing wrong. Our motive is to give shelter to the people who are being left alone, and those who are mentally ill and the people affected with diseases. We will provide them everything that they need and make them feel home,” claimed a staff[13].

A multi-tier vault for storing corpses: Indian Express has given these details, “They were surprised to find that the hospice did not just take care of the destitute elderly, but also had a multi-tier vault for storing corpses[14]. The vaults appeared like bank lockers. After a certain number of years, the vaults were reused. While it is unclear if the hospice management obtained permission to build the vault, what raised concern among officials was the lack of monitoring on whose bodies were deposited there and how the remains were processed. The home’s licence expired a few months ago and its application for renewal has not yet been approved[15]. “We raised concern about the absence of supervision on how the home handles bodies. We don’t even know if they obtain death certificates before depositing the corpses in the vault,” said a health department official. While rules mandate that the remains in the vault be cleared only once in 13 years, local residents claimed the management had been clearing them every few months. A representative of the home said they were open to a probe”. But, nothing is known till date.

News reports coming out based on videos etc: It has come under the scanner after a truck, dressed as an ambulance, was found to be ferrying a corpse, an old man and an old woman, along with vegetables, to the centre[16]. The incident came to light after a motorist traveling along the Salavakkam-Edayamputhur road heard the screams of an elderly woman, who called to him from inside the truck and asked him to save her[17]. Speaking to Thanthi TV, the elderly woman who was rescued, identified as Annamal from Tiruvallur district said that she had left her kin’s house after a fight with them, when she was picked up from Little Mount and brought to St Joseph’s Hospice’s Tambaram branch. “They took me away on Saturday or Sunday. I was in Little Mount. When I went inside, I saw that there were two dead bodies there. The other people who were there were very sick. After seeing that, I thought, I am well – why have they brought me here with the dead? I only wanted a hostel to stay, not an ashram like this,” Annamal said[18]. “I said, I don’t like it, I don’t like it, I don’t like it! I told them I won’t stay there. Every day I begged them, but I wasn’t allowed to go,” she added. The woman went on to say that she was examined by two doctors on Monday, who asked why she was being kept at the hospice when she was well.